When out in the woods, I ran into a problem. My 4wd stopped working, my nuetral/reverse lights stopped working, my speedo stopped working, the tail light stopped working, and all other lights except the head lights stopped working. It wouldn't start either. I was smart enough to walk home and get another quad and tow it back.

What would have been smarter would have been to use the emergency back-up start, but why would I do that? I tried it when I got home, and it worked with the pull-start, but still nothing else or the electric starter.

I checked everything, all was plugged in, and nothing loose or broken. I was stumped.

Power was getting to the headlight/start switch, but stopped there, I guessed the switch was bad or a fuse blew. Before taking it all apart, I would try somthing simple, like checking the wires.

I unplugged the wires going to the switch housing and cleaned where they contacted each other. Plugged it all back in, and it worked.

I still don't understand how all that dirt got into the plugs up by the switches. But just a note, if you lose all electrical (or almost all) on your Polaris, check all the plugs of course. Then make sure each one is clean. I have seen a lot of people lose 4x4 and think it's "that crappy Polaris" haunting them, and all it turns out to be is a wire come unplugged or dirty contact. I don't consider it a design flaw, but Polaris should make it more dirt tight or somthing, and make the wires plug in better.

Just an FYI!

 

Just curious, What year model is this .I saw this on a 96 explorer a few years ago. I noticed what you were talking about and I put a drop of silicone sealer around the connections. I also did this to my own 300 I had at the time. I noticed on my 99 that the connections are a lot tighter.

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Kevin Gowdy aka Kagey 1999 Polaris Magnum 500

 

It is a '99, and I think the wiring is a lot better than previous years, especially when trying to work with it. The connectors are great, but don't seem to fit real tight, but tighter than the previous years.

 

Adam,
Ok since you admitted to having an electrical problem, then I GUESS I will go ahead too....
The other day at at that Mudrun.. my Scrambler died when I turned the AWD off... HHHMMMMM... what tha'??? I turned it back on and it started right up... took off riding and tured it off again.. It DIED AGAIN!!.... turned it back on, restarted it... and thought I better get off and check the connectors undr the "hood".. I reached over and shifted to neutral and IT DIED AGAIN!!... Oh MAN!!.. What a BRAIN FART!!..
As I crawled off I made silent prayers to the Polaris Gods.. PLEASE baby, Don't do this to me the day after selling the Yamaha! PLEASE!! Then they answered with... YOU IDIOT.. CHECK FOR MUD and CHECK THE GROUND!!
Well, off came the hood and my board was indefinable under the inches of slimy mud...
Ok, THIS COULD BE THE PROBLEM... IT got the quick fix, I drove it off into a catfish pond until the front rack was almost under water, hopped off, and used the hood to wash it down good. Got that all fixed... Guess I should get out there one day soon and bypass that entire board...
Thank You Polaris Gods!!!...

 

Hahaha, the hood makes an EXCELLENT tool for washing quads I found. Now I have a more serious thing that happened today.

I decided to do somthing for fun, with no meaning. I held the front brake until the tires dug down really good in the mulch pile, and then put it in 4wd. I still couldn't get out, but my left front tire wouldn't spin. I tried again, and again, nothing. I had to pick it up and out. I went somewhere else, same thing, no front left tire.

Anybody have any ideas? I checked electrical, all looks ok. Myabe the wire going down to the electro hub is messed up where it enters the hub?

 

Adam,
Has it worked at all after your other electrical encounter?... If not, then I would suspect that there-in lies your problem. You might want to go back and double check EVERY connector and ground strap. My reverse override quit working once, and come to find out, there was mud and dirt up inside the switch.
If that doesn't do it, might as well pull the hub. Is it the same side that you had to replace the CV boot on?
A buddy of mine has an EXTREMELY abused Sportsman 400 that he's wanting me to look at because its doing the exact same thing...
Make sure you keep everybody posted on what you find out.

 

I will check all the conectors again. It is the same side I replaced the boot on, but I replaced both boots, and that was miles ago. I am pretty sure it's electrical, seem severything is, and if it was mechanical I would have noticed it break but you never know. Since this was my first ride with the electric stuff working again, then it probaly is within those wires. I thick mud is in my switches too, after a good ride, it's hard to make out where the switches even are!

 

Had same trouble after replacing boots.Make sure that washer behind 4x4 engagement thing mabob is in the little notches.Easy to get it out of alingement,thats all it takes.